Circuit Training 2

Get your cardio in while building muscle! Circuit training is one of the most effective workouts I've found to blast calories and build fat-burning muscle. This circuit will require some medium-sized weights. If you do not have access to any equipment, see Circuit Training 1.

Warm Up:  Take 5-10 minutes to warm up your body and prepare it for exercise; this will warm your muscles and reduce your risk of injury.

CIRCUIT 1

1. Front wood chop with squat:  With your feet a little wider than shoulder-distance apart, hold 1 weight with both hands. Let the weight hang down in front of you as you lower down into a squat - hips back like you're sitting back into a chair, weight in your heels NOT in your toes. As you raise your body back up, keep your arms straight and raise the weight in front of you, up over your head. Lower the weight back down while simultaneously sitting back into a squat. Repeat 15 times. This will look/feel like your chopping wood, hence the name.

2. Squat with cross-chop:  Same as above, but you will lower the weight down towards your right side, then lift up across your body to the opposite side, rotating slightly through your torso. Repeat 15 times to one side, then do 15 repetitions to the other side. 

3. Torso twist:  In a squat position, bend your elbows holding the one weight in front of your chest, close to your body. Keeping your hips square and in place, rotate through your torso to the right side, keeping the weight at your chest, then slowly rotate to your left side. Keep your abs engaged and tight, only moving from the hips up. This is meant to work your core, so keep your lower body still. Repeat until you've rotated to each side 15 times. 

4. CARDIO - Happy feet:  Put down your weight. In a squat position, come up on your toes and quickly transfer your weight from one foot to the other, hands up at chest height for balance. Think of football players going through tire drills, this is what you should look like. Keep moving for 1 minute. 

Take 30 seconds active recovery of marching in place while hydrating.
Repeat above circuit 1 time

CIRCUIT 2

1. Lateral raise:  With one weight in each hand, let your arms hang down at your sides, feet in a comfortable position, about hip-distance apart, knees slightly bent. Inhale. As you exhale, slowly lift your arms up to your sides until your arms are parallel to the floor (you should look like the letter 'T'). Slowly lower back to starting position, but don't let the weights drag your arms back down; resist gravity here. Repeat 15 times.

2. Tricep pulse back:  With one weight in each hand, stand with feet together, knees slightly bent. Hinge at hips to bring your upper body down to about a 45 degree angle to the floor. With arms straight, turn palms to face behind you. Lift arms back, palms still facing behind you, arms straight. Squeeze your triceps (the muscles on the back of your upper arms) and your upper back. Repeat 15 times.
3. Plank with back row:  Place one weight nearby. Bring your body up into plank on your toes and hands. To perfect your plank, see:  Plank You Very Much. Once up in plank, take weight into one hand, transfer your body weight to the other hand. Left weight into a back row, elbow towards the ceiling, upper arm brushing the side of your body. Repeat 15 times on EACH side.
CARDIO - Speed Skate:  With feet wider than shoulder distance, hop from one foot to the other, mimicking a speed-skating motion with your body. Repeat for 1 minute.
Take 30 seconds active recovery of marching in place while hydrating.
Repeat circuit 2 one more time.

CIRCUIT 3
1. Cross punch with weights:  With one weight in each hand, perform cross-body punches. One hand punches across the body, free hand is up protecting the face. Keep your pace up, quickly alternating punching hand. Repeat 20 times with each hand.
2. Plank with tricep kickback:  Bring your body into the position you were in for back row in plank. Take weight in one hand and perform tricep kickback:  elbow stays glued to your side, forearm kicks back, squeeze through the back of the arm. Bring back to starting position. Repeat 15 times on EACH side.
3. Push-ups on knees:  Hold one weight in each hand and place them on the floor in front of you. Staying on your knees, do push-ups. Repeat 15 times. 
4. CARDIO - High knees:  This is like running in place, but you want to lift those knees up to waist-height if you can, while pumping your arms. Keep moving for 1 minute.
Take 30 seconds active recovery of marching in place while hydrating.
Repeat circuit 3 one more time.


This circuit should take at least 30 minutes to perform. If you've got some extra time, feel free to repeat each circuit one more time!